Blog

Litterbox Training a Bunny

August 1, 2017

Have you recently adopted a pet bunny? Congratulations! You certainly picked a charming and adorable little pet. Bunnies aren’t hard to care for, but they are very different from dogs and cats. One thing that can make taking care of your pet quite a bit easier is litterbox training. As your Marion, IA vet, I am here to help! Read on for some great tips on how to litterbox train your bunny.

Shopping List

First things first: before you can start working on training, you’ll need to pick up a few things. You can get your bunny a large cat litterbox. You can also use a rubber cement-mixing tray or a plastic tote. If you have two rabbits, be sure to choose a box that can fit them both at once. It actually may be a good idea for you to start with several litterboxes. Once your pet is fully trained, you’ll be able to get rid of the extra ones. I also recommend getting a hayrack, and setting it up so that your bunny has to hop into her box to reach it. Last but not least, you’ll need litter. Avoid clay or clumping litters, as well as anything made from pine or cedar.

Setup

Choosing the right spot for the litterbox will be very helpful. Take a good look at your pet’s cage, and watch her when she is out and about. Does your bunny tend to use a certain area as her bathroom? If so, put a litterbox there. When you set your pet’s litterbox up, put some of her waste in the box, along with some soiled hay. This will help encourage her to use it. You may also want to use a puppy pen to keep your rabbit in a certain area during training.

Training

Training may take some time, but it will be well worth it in the long run! When you let your bunny out of her cage, keep a very close eye on her. If she looks like she is about to relieve herself, immediately pick her up and place her in her litterbox. If she does her business in the box, reward her right away with praise, toys, or treats.